Since the site was completed in October it has proved to be a
huge success, attracting 323,000 downloads, with the 'Archaeolgica
Britannica', documenting the histories and customs of the original
inhabitants of Great Britain, receiving the most clicks.

The 'Early Gaelic book collections' include 1,800 books in
Gaelic and other Celtic languages, as well as works about the
Gaels, their languages, literature, culture and history.

Lee Hibberd, Digitisation Manager at the National Library of
Scotland, said: 'Digitising the collection is a fantastic way of
keeping the language alive and bringing it to a modern
audience.

'The collection is also culturally very important not only for
its content but for those who created it. Individuals such as Angus
Matheson, the first Professor of Celtic at Glasgow University, and
Hew Morrison, the first City Librarian of Edinburgh, proved to be
pivotal figures in Gaelic literary history.'

Digitised items also act as a preservative, offering a surrogate
version for Library staff to access, limiting wear and tear on the
originals. Films and sound recordings stored on perishable mediums,
such as reel-to-reel tapes, also benefit from digitisation.

When the project to digitise the 1,800 book collection began in
September 2008, the Library's largest online project contained
7,000 images. The Early Gaelic Book Collections contains 60 times
that number from the collections of five Scots including the
aforementioned academics, Lady Evelyn Stewart Murray, John Francis
Campbell of Islay and J Norman Methven.

Lee Hibberd added: 'Digitisation is a wonderful way to bring the
content of the National Library to people in the comfort of their
homes. We have had online visitors from four of the five continents
and you never know someone in Antarctica may have an
as-yet-undiscovered interest in Gaelic literature.' For more
information on what documents are available online visit the 'Early
Gaelic book collections'.

The National Library of Scotland recently put its draft Gaelic
Language Plan out for consultation prior to its submission to Bòrd
na Gàidhlig at the end of July. The NLS draft Gaelic Language
Plan is available online and responses are welcome. These
should be sent to Paul Hambelton at NLS by email
(p.hambelton@nls.uk) or post to: Paul Hambelton, National Library
of Scotland, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EW, no later than 8
July 2011.